Royce Lewis lasted only three innings in center field, but he could return there

DETROIT — Royce Lewis' triumphant return to the big leagues didn't even last a full game.

The top prospect made his MLB debut several weeks ago, replacing injured shortstop Carlos Correa. He thrilled in those 11 games, hitting .308 before dropping back down to Class AAA. But the Twins knew he wouldn't stay down for long and made sure to move him around the field in those minor league games so he could be comfortable at other positions.

That master plan came to fruition Sunday, with Lewis called up to play center field and likely move around during the current road trip to Detroit and Toronto.

But in the third inning of that game, Lewis went flying into the wall to make a catch. He snagged the ball, but the left side of his body crashed into the barrier before he fell to the ground in a heap. The 22-year-old was visibly in pain, and while he finished out that half-inning, he didn't return for the rest of the game.

The Twins have diagnosed it as a right knee bone bruise, potentially from his knees knocking together upon impact or how he landed. Lewis only just returned to baseball full time this spring training after tearing his right ACL during the offseason in February 2021.

He went on the 10-day injured list but will have more scans to confirm the diagnosis isn't more serious.

"It's a wrench," Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. "We've dealt with several wrenches recently, and it feels like when things come, they come in bunches."

Baldelli added while the injury was unlucky since it happened in Lewis' first MLB game in center field, he won't hesitate to play Lewis there again once he's healed.

"He's a really important young player to us, and we'll talk with him, too, and see where he's at," Baldelli said. "But I think he can handle it fine. I think it's more of an unfortunate individual play."

Jose Miranda returned to the Twins to play first base Monday against the Tigers.

In addition to Miranda's turnstile move, several other players traveled with the team as part of the taxi squad. They will fill in when the Twins head to Toronto for a weekend series without a handful of players who cannot enter Canada because they are not vaccinated for COVID-19.

Starter Sonny Gray left Sunday's game in the seventh inning with soreness in his right pectoral muscle, and Baldelli said it seems a return to the IL is possible. Gray left his second start of the season with a hamstring injury and didn't come off the IL until May 7.

Gray had an MRI on Sunday and received some treatment Monday in Detroit, but beyond that, he's trying to not think too far into the future.

"It'll probably be big couple of days," Gray said. "… It's going to go one way or the other here. … I am sore [Monday], so I think the next, probably, 24 to 48 hours is probably the biggest, most important time. So we'll see how it goes."

In his five games since coming off his first IL stay, Gray put up a 1.65 ERA with 34 strikeouts. And he admitted his performance makes the prospect of more time out frustrating.

"I feel really good throwing the ball," Gray said. "So if it was to come to that, it probably would be [disappointing], but I don't really want to look past [Monday]."

Because of some absences amid a current run of 18 games in17 days, the Twins' rotation is a bit out of whack. Dylan Bundy pitched Monday. Devin Smeltzer will pitch the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader, with the second game for Cole Sands coming up from the Saints. Bailey Ober is set for Wednesday and Chris Archer for Thursday.

The first game in Toronto on Friday would be Gray's, but if he cannot play, Josh Winder could slot in off the injured list after recovering from his right shoulder impingement.

Max Kepler left Saturday's game with tightness in his right quad. Baldelli said the right fielder could return to start at least one game of Tuesday's doubleheader.

"If he can't play in the doubleheader, I think it's going to be hard for him to be active," Baldelli said. "I would say that about almost anyone. It's going to be very difficult if he can't do that. So we'll continue to assess him, but he came in [Monday] improved."